Friday, July 18, 2014

5 Top Tips for Moving into a Dorm

Since my dorm packing list was so helpful for y'all, I thought I'd post some of my best tips for actually moving things in. Having moved in (and out) twice, not counting Christmas vacations, I consider myself a proper expert (can you hear the sarcasm?). Here goes…

1. Keep like things in like boxes

I usually label my items with things like "bath", "bed", "desk", etc. It helps me to follow my packing list, but it also helps me check over the boxes easily before I seal them. If I had kitchen items in my bath box, it'd be much easier to forget things, and it'd also be a mess when it came time to unpack.

2. Mix heavy and light items to even out the weight

This did not occur to me until my second round of moving in, but OMG it makes so much sense now. Don't put all of your heavy desk things in one place and then pack all of your light things (like pencils, note pads, etc) together. If you mix them a bit (while still keeping like things together), those boxes will be much easier to carry up multiple flights of stairs, I promise.

3. Check weather reports and get there early

My freshman year AND sophomore year, it was pouring rain on move out day. Knowing this ahead of time, my dad came the day before AND I had made sure to grab a cart so we could get everything packed before the rain moved in. Yes, I still had to move the last few things in the rain, but I had made sure to not pack my umbrella and rain coat and I only had a few light bits…which made it much easier.

Also, getting there early has its benefits. My freshman year, the elevators were broken, so there was only one flight of stairs (one to go up, one to go down), and everyone had to wait outside in the heat and line their things up on the pavement. Those who had come early were at the front of the line and got in and out quickly, which would have been SO nice.

4. Buy things there so you don't have to pack/move all of it

Why this did not occur to me, I do not know. I know for a fact that Bed, Bath, and Beyond will let you pick up items at a different location than the one you buy them at, but there is literally a Walmart everywhere…use it. You do not need to pack lightbulbs or batteries or your bathroom toiletries. You can run to the store after you've moved other things in, and it makes it much easier. The less you can pack (and shove into the car), the less you have to deal with all at once….and it is so worth it. Also, you don't need to buy everything right away. I waited to buy things like heavy blankets or extra storage bins until I needed them, because you don't need to pack/move/store any unnecessary items in your already small room.

5. Have a plan to pack, move in, and unpack/place items

Ask people (read: strong guys) to help you move in way ahead of time. Know when you're leaving, what time you're getting there, what needs to be unloaded first, and what can be bought once you're there before you leave. I generally even plan where in the car I'm going to fit certain things (#OCD) just because it gives me piece of mind that everything will fit and I won't forget anything. We also planned things like unloading my fridge first so we could plug it in, that way, when we picked up groceries after unpacking, the fridge would be plenty cold enough for them.

The labeling of boxes will help tons when it comes to placing boxes and unpacking them. You really don't want to just throw them all in the middle of your room, because once you start unpacking, you'll have a royal mess. Put your bathroom things in your bathroom (if it's connected to your room), your desk stuff on or under your desk, etc. I promise, it makes unpacking (and moving around while you're moving in) much easier.

Please let me know if you have any other tried and true tips that might be useful, and if this is helpful for you, don't forget to pin it and share it with your friends! (;

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